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Last week, I decided to go “low carb” for the week. My weight loss had been plateau-ing for a while and I was getting frustrated. Plus, I’ve been doing this get fit summer challenge from Buzzfeed and was starting to see the scale creep up (because lifting weights is a hunger-inducing business, y’all).

Anyway, I needed to find some way to still have some treats while I was abstaining from carbs. And praise The Lord, I found this!

They’re low-carb peanut butter cookies! Here’s what you need:

~1 cup peanut butter (I used Jif Omega-3)

~1 cup Splenda (you could use Stevia if you like but it’s a little bitter for my taste)

~1 egg

That’s it! That’s all you need!

Preheat your oven to 350*. Then, toss everything into a bowl and combine.

Scoop out about a tablespoon onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. I used a cookie scoop and it worked wonders! Then, dip a fork in Splenda and press down the dough rolls.

Pop them in the oven for 12 minutes, and then let them cool.

Then, devour!

OMG, y’all, these cookies were DELICIOUS! They really helped me get through those cravings when I really wanted something sweet. And, to be honest, the low-carb thing wasn’t that bad. I mean, there was one day I really wanted some waffle fries from Chick-Fil-A, but for the most part, it went well. I think part of that was because I had a cold and it sort of took my appetite away. But it helped! I lost 3lbs and an inch off my waist! Yay!

I’ve said it before, my job is pretty great. I work from home five days a week which allows me to do conference calls and edits in my pajamas and sans makeup. I can make my own schedule and get stuff done SO MUCH quicker than I could if I was sitting at the office. Not only that, but I get to keep Huff the Babe home with me on my not-so-busy days, so I get the “best of both Mommy Worlds”.

There are times, though, when Huff the Babe stays home with me that I think, “Okay… what now?”

Not as in, “I need more out of my life, I am having an existential crisis” its more of a, “I think the kid is bored.”

I’ve blogged about how I tend to get bored when the wee one is playing independently and I’m caught up on housework/work-work (which hardly ever happens, but still, it happens) but sometimes I can sense she’s bored.

I try to do some “Tot School” stuff everyday. We go over letters, colors, numbers, and shapes; read books; color; and try to play outside before it gets too blazing hot. But that only takes up a few hours out of the day.

I can’t really think of much to do. I’ve consulted Pinterest but all of the paper mache in the world won’t keep my 21-month old still very long. By the time I say, “Do you want to color?” and get her to the table with her crayons and coloring book she says, “I done!”

We’ve gone to Story Time at the library before and while it was okay, its not my favorite thing to do. She LOVES to watch movies (Disney princesses are her jam) but I don’t want her to watch too much TV. So I’m asking for help, fellow Mommas. What do you do with your little ones? How do you keep them entertained? What are your favorite activities to do together that aren’t expensive/don’t involve me pushing a heavy stroller in 101* heat searching for animals that have hidden in their caves because its too hot?

Y’all summer is just flyyyyyying by! But, thankfully, its been stuffed to the brim of nerdy novelties to keep your summer geektastic!

I’m a big fan of the Hawaiian shirt. This shirt, however, I am HUGE fan of! Check it out!;

I wish the new Stars Wars was coming out this summer because I would totes get this for Huff the Hubs to wear to the premiere! You can only get it at Think Geek!

My mom is an avid crocheter. The woman could crochet anything and I think I’ve found her next project!

Computer programmer, Kjetil Nordin from Norway spent six years crocheting this Super Mario Brothers 3 World 1 Map! Isn’t it amazing?! Read more of his story here!

One important rule of summer–besides eating as many snow cones as you can before the fall comes–is taking care of your skin in the summer sun! And I’ve got a hilariously healthy way to do it!

Oh yes, that is THE Will Ferrell on that bottle of sunscreen! Not only is this sunscreen free of harmful stuff and packaged in the most hilarious way possible, but his sunscreen does good for others! The proceeds from each sale help Will Ferrell’s benefit, Cancer for College, a group that provides scholarships for cancer survivors!

Well, we’re mid-way through the year…How’s it going with those New Year Resolutions? Workouts got you down? Not to worry, Flex Design Body Suits are here to help! They can give you super hero-like suits without all the work!

The suit comes in 24 different colors so you can become any superhero you want! They’re a bit pricey–$700 for the cheapest one–but you’ll definitely be the most ripped person at Comic Con!

About four weeks ago, I posted about how I read an article from Cosmo UK about how a woman drank 3 liters of water everyday to see if it had any effect on her skin. Her results were pretty good.

So good in fact, I decided to try it for myself. Here’s how it went:

Week One:
I’ve hit my goal of water intake ALMOST every single day. The weekend was tough because because we ran errands and looked at houses, so I didn’t want to be running to the loo a lot.
I’ve noticed I feel more focused, but I also have to get up every 15 minutes to pee! My stomach has felt extra bloaty and I’ve read that drinking a lot of water can do that to you. Along with the water challenge, I’ve been weaning off diet sodas. My goal is to stick to no more than 20 ounces of Diet Dr. Pepper (or Diet Coke) a day. I did pretty well for a few days, but then I went to Chick Fil A after a long day and NEEDED that Diet DP!

Week Two:
It’s been so flipping hot that I’ve actually found it a lot easier to drink more water everyday. There were a few days I didn’t drink a diet soda at all…until I got a caffeine headache and downed a Diet Dr. Pepper! The bloat from week one has subsided (thank goodness!) and I haven’t had any joint pain (which I’ve been noticing occurs when I drink a lot of diet soda). I’ve actually started to notice a change in my skin already, but I’m not sure if I’m actually seeing it, or if it’s a “placebo effect” type of thing. We shall see!

Week Three:
So. Much. Water.

Week Four:
Yay! I’m almost done!

So, after doing my little experiment for a month, here’s my results:

I can see a difference! I can also feel a difference. The day before I started this, I put a mud mask on my face and I could literally hear the mask squishing into my ginormous pores. Now I can tell my pores have definitely minimized! My skin also feels much more soft and just looks generally more healthy. Even Huff the Hubs could tell a difference!

(And, yes, I both of these pictures I am wearing makeup. The before shot was taken at the end of the day [i.e., my makeup wasn’t as fresh] and the after was taken in the middle of the day. I did NOT use a filter on either picture.)

I’m also feeling better too. I feel much more focused and I don’t get as run down in the afternoons as I used to. Yay for proper hydration!

Yesterday was the first official day of summer! Yay! Time for road trips, snow cones, and of course, swimming.

Whether you go to the lake or your own backyard, water safety is VERY important for you and your brood of Littles. My sister, Samantha, is often referred to as “The Car Seat Nazi”. The girl knows anything and everything you need to know about proper car seat purchasing, installation, care, and car seat laws. (Needless to say I took her along with me when it was time to graduate Huff the Babe into a new carseat). I’m the same way, with water safety. You can just call me, “The Life Jacket Nazi”.

I worked as a lifeguard for six summers throughout high school and college. I loved it! It paid well and the hours were great. The thing I didn’t enjoy though, was the heart-pounding fear when you have to rescue someone from the water. Often, it was little kids that needed retrieval from the water because they had improper gear or didn’t know how to swim.

Consider this a friendly PSA from you neighborhood blogger: get a proper life-saving vest and/or get your kids enrolled in swimming lessons.

So many times, I see kids wearing these abominations:

These are NOT life-saving devices, people. It says so on the frickin’ package in BIG BOLD letters! You can buy these at Dollar Tree for Heaven’s sake! (Not that I have anything against DT; that’s my jam when I’m broke, but if I’m buying something to protect my child, you’d better believe Momma’s paying top-dollar for quality!)

When purchasing a life-jacket or vest, check to make sure it has been approved by the United States Coast Guard (there is typically a big, white patch on the inside of the jacket that states its USCG approved). This ensures that it is in tip-top shape and WILL help prevent drowning. A proper life-jacket or vest looks something like this:

Life jackets can only go so far. To help keep your kids safe around the water, teach your children to swim. There is a plethora of places to help your kid learn how to swim as well as learn water safety (at the pool, we’d always say, “Water safety begins on land.”). Your local YMCA, college campuses, and neighborhood pools hold classes every summer and some offer classes throughout the year. (At minimum, teach your child how to float on their backs so if they get into trouble, they can pop up on the backs and call for help!).

As a parent, you also need to know the signs of drowning. Drowning isn’t always screaming for help. There are many different signs you can read about here. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea for at least one parent to be trained in CPR. I firmly believe that one person per household should know how to administer CPR should the need arise. Here’s a link you can visit that will tell you where you can get trained!

I’m totally not trying to poop on your parade; I want everyone to enjoy their summer and have fun! But, I also want to make sure you’re being safe! Do you have any water safety tips? Any recommendations for swimming lessons? Life jackets? Share in the comments below!

I do NOT like to be pranked. However I do enjoy watching other people get pranked. Especially when its Disney-themed. Check out this hilarious prankster tricking his friends with lines from classic Disney movies!

I recently cleaned out my closet and found that most of it is full of t-shirts. And you know what? Honey Badger don’t care. I love t-shirts! I also love a good book. And now, my two loves are colliding!

This shirt, exclusively from Litographs.com prints tees with text from your favorite classic books! The one above is Great Gatsby-themed and there are so many more, including Pride and Prejudice, Hamlet, and Peter Pan! I want them ALL!

I’m always looking for ways to motive myself to work out, but they don’t usually work. These yoga pants, however, will make me feel like the beast I know I am!

These She-Ra bottoms are sure to let the guy that doesn’t wipe off the elliptical that you are NOT playing around at the gym! The website, 80stees.com, has a plethora of throwback-themed apparel for everyone! Check them out!

Don’t forget, Father’s Day is this weekend! Get your family’s patriarch some silk swag fit for a hero or the best air hockey table for endless tournaments with the kids to enjoy!

These Batman ties are a Think Geek Exclusive (meaning you can’t just walk into any store and get them!) so act fast! You can still get rush delivery and have them in time for Sunday’s BBQ with Pops!

Today’s HDT is going to be a little different. Much like when Ron Swanson got the Woman of the Year award on Parks andRec,I’m highlighting a great man that has helped mold and shape the lives of countless women. I’m talking about my dad.

With Father’s Day this weekend, I wanted to share a little bit about how my father–even though he may not realize it–has been an excellent role model for empowering women.

He let us try new things.

My dad’s childhood wasn’t the best and he always said he wanted to make sure his children had the best they could. He worked tirelessly so that my sisters and I could afford to do any activity we wanted (including dance, gymnastics, skating lessons, swimming lessons, cheerleading, and, for a brief period, basketball). He (and my mother) wanted us to try new things and have experiences they didn’t. He made sure we were able to travel so we could see places we read about and could gain first-hand knowledge of the world around us.

He showed us how to work.

So many times, my father worked 12-hour days (heck, he still does!). He always said, “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” He instilled in my sisters and me the value of working, and working hard.

He didn’t let us give up.

Though he may not know it, my dad is a great motivator. He would tell us girls, “You can do it! Just try.” He didn’t do things for us (unless it was just waaaaay too dangerous/you basically needed a special license to do whatever it was) when he knew we could do it.

He taught us we were enough, just as we are.

When I was younger (this is pre-Huff the Hubs) and fretting over guys, my dad would simply say, “You do not need a man to ‘complete you’. Be your own person.” I really took that to heart. I realized I had been changing myself to fit what I thought this guy would like or what that guy would find appealing. So when I started dating HtH, I decided to be myself and thought, “If he likes me for who I am, then I know he’s a keeper.”

He taught us what love really is.

Man, my dad loves my mom. Ever since he was in high school, the torch my dad carries for my mom has been burning bright. The example he has shown me of what a beautiful, loving, Godly marriage is inspires me in my marriage.

I am so blessed to have the dad I do. I think its important for girls to have strong female role models in their lives, but I believe its equally important for girls to have strong male role models as well. I’m just glad I’ve got an amazing one in my dad.